Texas House could take up THC ban bill
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's push to outlaw THC in Texas is ramping up as a House committee considers his bill to ban the substance and another bill to place new limits on the industry.
Why it matters: A multibillion-dollar industry hangs in the balance with less than two months to go in the legislative session.
Hemp opponents say the unregulated industry is harming children.
Context: The fight is over consumable, hemp-derived delta-8 THC, one of the minor chemical variants of delta-9 THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in traditional cannabis.
Delta-8 THC provides lesser psychoactive effects and is typically coupled with CBD, another hemp-derived compound used for pain relief and mental wellness.
Catch up quick: Hemp products containing small amounts of delta-8 THC, like edibles, vapes and traditional bud, were legalized in Texas' 2019 farm bill.
Since then, the products have been sold in smoke shops, convenience stores and Veterans of Foreign Wars outposts across the state. The legal sale helps Texans struggling with chronic pain, PTSD and other ailments, advocates say.
Patrick vowed in 2024 to undo the legislation and claimed that stores were selling products containing "unlimited THC" and marketing them to children with "life-threatening" consequences.
Driving the news: The House State Affairs Committee heard testimony this week on Senate Bill 3, the Patrick-backed legislation seeking to outright ban the substance, and House Bill 28, which would impose age restrictions, ban synthetic cannabinoids, and impose strict licensing requirements for the hemp industry.
HB 28 would allow an exception for THC-infused drinks to be sold in liquor stores, but it would ban edibles and smokable products.
Texas senators passed Patrick's bill 27-4 in March. Houston Democratic Sens. Molly Cook and Carol Alvarado voted against it.
The House committee left both bills pending.
The intrigue: A majority of speakers told committee members they opposed banning delta-8 THC. Some speakers suggested more regulations to ensure nefarious products are kept off the market.
What they're saying:"Get those off the shelf," veterans advocate Mitch Fuller told committee members in support of HB 28. "Regulate the hell out of this industry."
"In the veteran community, we've chosen this as an option in the toolbox that works for us."
Between the lines: House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) hasn't said which bill he supports. His office did not return a request for comment from Axios.
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